OOTP Chapter Twenty-Seven: "The Centaur and the Sneak"

[for_diddled]

* First of all, sorry this is so late, I'm afraid I've been a bit busy preparing to go back to university.

* This is the chapter in which Hermione officially crosses the line from “occasionally strident and self-righteous but on the whole likeable and sympathetic character” to “dangerous sociopath”.

Comments

[oryx_leucoryx]

This is the chapter in which Hermione officially crosses the line from “occasionally strident and self-righteous but on the whole likeable and sympathetic character” to “dangerous sociopath”.

I thought she did that when she captured Rita and blackmailed her. And moreso when she forced Rita to publish Hermione's version of 'the truth'.

“Indeed, Harry sometimes wondered how Umbridge was going to react when all the members of the DA received ‘Outstanding’ in their Defence Against the Dark Arts OWLs.” Only kidding, Harry will be the only one to get an “Outstanding” mark, because he’s a Mary Sue just the most awesome DADA student ever.

He only got an O because his examiner decided to give him an extra credit question. Without that he would have had an E like many others. Heck, maybe Draco or someone got an O on hir own merit just by doing the required work perfectly.

(Can anybody remember if SPEW is brought up again in this book?)IIRC the only other mention is when the kids are considering their career plans and Hermione is thinking of

[for_diddled]

"She only thinks she has access to Veritaserum. Severus gave her the fake stuff."

I don't think anybody apart from Severus knows this, though. Maybe Dumbledore, come to think of it, but Kingsley certainly wouldn't, so as far as he's concerned, Umbridge will just be able to force the others to tell her, no matter what he does to Marietta.

[mmmarcusz]

"For the Greater Good," of course.

[charlottehywd]

Well, when you put it that way... *shudders*

Why are the parts in these books that are meant to be scary not scary at all but parts like this are pure nightmare fuel?

[sharaz_jek]

* Also, if they are going to mind-wipe Marietta, why not do it to Percy, Fudge and Umbridge too? That would get them out of trouble entirely.

Does anyone ever think to use Memory Charms in an at all sensible way? If coupled with sufficiently powerful and skilled Legilimency, they could be more dangerous than the Imperius Curse (and less illegal). Especially since we know from Slughorn that false memories can be created.

[harpsi_fizz]

s JKR aware of the implications of what she’s writing? Or did she just throw it in without bothering to think it through?
Chee, now that I think of it, when I first read it, I thought she was speaking of him as an animal. I didn't see it as an offensive statement, nor did I see Hermione's bit about not liking horses as offensive either (more of a weak-ish quip) but when put against the background of "Umbridge is the devil for treating the centaurs like animals"...

Ehhh. I guess the difference is that Umbridge is disrespectful about it (... lot like Hermione was being; it is kinda neat that they have the same middle name). Jury is out on this one because I have no idea the proper protocol we'd have if we had to interact with humanoids that we could consistently communicate with.

Wow, centaurs sure are arrogant and condescending people.
So are wizards. So are muggles. The series has a generous amount of clique-y, exclusive, elitists.

You might enjoy Mike Smith's review of this chapter. I haven't read it yet, but he, a Potter Virgin,

[sunnyskywalker]

Oh, I like that alternate plan for getting out of trouble. Covert Divination study! Dolores's Army! Why are so many wizards so bad at thinking of cover stories? (Dumbledore couldn't have said Pansy magically altered the title on that parchment to frame the innocent Divination study group? And had her Confunded sneakily so even she believed it was true?)

[dracasadiablo]

Agreed. "Covert Divination study! Dolores's Army!" would have been perfect. They are horrible about making cover stories. The trio never learned how to lie convincingly. And considering how much trouble they find themselves in they really should have.

[sunnyskywalker]

Not just a centaur he met four years ago, but a centaur he met four years ago at night in a dark forest while scared of blood-drinking fiends.

Hermione said she got the idea for the coins from the Dark Mark, but used coins instead of their skin. She marked Marietta's skin. Was there no way to link those two, so that any "sneak" would make everyone's coins glow in warning as well as giving the sneak pimples? (Which shouldn't have to be permanent - surely a couple of months would be more than enough for tattling on what started as a simple clandestine study group, as far as many members knew.)

How do you hide beneath a vase, even a dragon-shaped one? Behind, sure, but under?

[oryx_leucoryx]

How do you hide beneath a vase, even a dragon-shaped one? Behind, sure, but under?

Turn it over and get inside (assuming it is big enough)?

[sunnyskywalker]

So it's an upside-down dragon? Did Draco stop to carefully set it upright when he popped out? This scene is getting funnier and funnier. Especially if he's wearing one of the magical disappearing pointy hats and we can pretend it's a surprise party hat.

[dracasadiablo]

Draco Malfoy : Hiding and Surprise party expert. XD

One of the things I think the films did right is getting rid of those ridiculous pointy hats.
Honestly, can you imagine Harry running, hiding, getting into fights and everything else he does with a pointy hat on his head?
Our Harry is no Rincewind, in six years he would have lost hundreds of hats.